Washer and Dryer Notifier

Summary

• Python script which works with a TP-Link Smart Plug and the PushBullet service to sense when washers and dryers are active and send notifications to subscribers when the machine(s) are done.

Purpose

• Allow efficient time use of the washer and dryer, especially if the machines are located where the user cannot conveniently see/hear them.
• Reduce the chance of forgetting to dry clothes once the washer has finished, preventing mildew.

Prerequisites

• TP-Link Smart Plug with Emeter (Energy meter) capability
  • The KP115 Smart Plug and the HS300 Smart Strip models are compatible
• The target plug must have an alias name assigned to it.
• Kasa python library to access TP-Link Smart Plug features from python
• Pushbullet account and phone app
• Python pushbullet.py
  • pip install pushbullet.py

How it works

• The washer and dryer must be plugged into TP-Link Smart Plugs.
  • Because of the high current draw of the washer and dryer, the suggested plug is model KP115. Other plugs have not been tested.
• The script is intended to run continuously and will probe the smart plug(s) at regular intervals for activity indicated by an increased current draw.
• Once activity is detected the script then monitors for the current draw dropping to nominal levels, indicating the machine on the smart plug has finished.
  • At that point the script will send a notification via PushBullet to all subscribed smart phones.

Usage

Setup

• Plug appliance into appropriate smart plug.
• Turn on smart plug(s) and verify appliance(s) works.
• Turn off appliance(s), leaving smart plugs on.
• On any PC that supports command line Python 3.6.1 or above, run the washer_dryer_notifier.py script with the setup switch "-s" and also "-w" switch followed by the name of the smart plug that the washer is plugged into and the "-d" switch followed by the name of the smart plug that the dryer is plugged into.
  • Note that the -w and -d switches are optional, i.e., you can have only one or the other if you want.
• For example:

$ ./scripts/washer_dryer_notifier.py -s -w washer -d dryer

• Wait 30 seconds and turn on appliance(s).
• Leave appliances on for at least 1 minute, then turn applicance(s) off.
• Verify that a washer_dryer_notifier.config file is created.

Continuous run

• Run the washer_dryer_notifier.py script as in Setup but without the "-s" switch.
• For example:

$ ./scripts/washer_dryer_notifier.py -w washer -d dryer -a "<Pushbullet api key>" -c <Pushbullet channel>

• This will run the script in continuous mode as described above.

Linux Service run

• A sample service file is available in the service directory: washer_dryer_notifier.service
• We assume that all necessary scripts are in the same directory as the main washer_dryer_notifier.py script.

$ sudo systemctl daemon-reload
$ sudo systemctl enable washer_dryer_notifier.service
$ sudo systemctl start washer_dryer_notifier.service
$ sudo systemctl status washer_dryer_notifier.service

Notifiers

Built in gmail notify support

• Support for sending email notifications.
• Requires user to have a valid Google app key

Built in Pushbullet support

• Support for Pushbullet is built in.
  • Requires use of Pushbullet api, access token, channel

Custom Notifier script support

• Customized notifier scripts can be run to do things like blink lights, etc.
• The notifier script will be run in a python subprocess

Command line args

$ ./scripts/washer_dryer_notifier.py -h
/home/kelvin/sandbox/projects/washer_dryer_notifier/./scripts/washer_dryer_notifier.py:4: DeprecationWarning: SmartDevice is deprecated, use IotDevice from package kasa.iot instead or use Discover.discover_single() and Device.connect() to support new protocols
  from kasa import Discover, SmartDevice
usage: washer_dryer_notifier.py [OPTIONS]

Notify when washer, dryer finishes

options:
  -h, --help            show this help message and exit
  -v, --version         show program's version number and exit
  -s, --setup_mode      setup mode, detect voltage levels and create config file
  -t, --test_mode       test mode, send pushbullet broadcast test
  -w , --washer_plug_name 
                        specifies washer plug name
  -d , --dryer_plug_name 
                        specifies dryer plug name
  -l , --log_file_name 
                        specifies custom log file name
  -a , --access_token   specifies pushbullet access token
  -c , --channel_tag    specifies pushbullet channel tag
  -n , --notifier_script 
                        user defined script to allow customized notifications
  -e , --email          email address to send reports to
  -k , --app_key        Google app key needed to allow sending mail reports [gmail only]
  -b START STOP, --block_time START STOP
                        time window in 24h HH:MM HH:MM format to suppress notifications